After Lee was released from the traffic lights, the 13-strong group travelled to Liverpool where they forced him to dress as John Lennon, complete with a miniature guitar, during a night out in the city.

Then, while nursing a hangover on Sunday morning, Lee was painted blue and made to dress as a Smurf for the remainder of the party, which ended in Birmingham.

Lee’s best man Matthew Wyatt said he had been planning the prank for a long time and was feeling “pretty smug” that it had caused such an online stir.

The lads arrived back in Chesterfield on Monday after their banterous weekend.